1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a structure of a cover member of a press-connecting connector for covering an opening portion of terminal receiving chambers formed in a connector housing.
2. Background
In a press-connecting connector, generally, an opening portion is formed in an upper wall surface of a connector housing so that press-connecting terminals mounted in terminal receiving chambers are exposed to the outside in order to press-connect the press-connecting terminals to wires, respectively. After press-connecting the wires, the opening portion is closed by a cover member which is formed integrally with the connector housing.
A conventional press-connecting connector having such a cover member will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a conventional press-connecting connector in a state in which a cover member is opened, and FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the same conventional press-connecting connector in a state in which the cover member is closed.
A connector housing 1 made of a synthetic resin material has a plurality of separators 3 which are formed to be erected in parallel to each other in the connector housing 1 so as to form terminal receiving chambers 5 arranged side by side.
The connector housing 1 has an opening portion 7 through which the terminal receiving chambers 5 are exposed to the outside. The respective terminal receiving chambers 5 receive press-connecting terminals 9 each of which is formed from an electrically conductive metal plate by plate working. The press-connecting terminals 9 have U-shaped press-connecting blades 11 opened upwardly, respectively. The press-connecting blades 11 cut off respective covers of wires 13 pressed into the blades from the above to electrically connect to conductors of the wires 13, respectively.
Furthers the press-connecting terminals 9 have wire clamping portions 15 at rear ends thereof, respectively. After pressing the wires 13 into the press-connecting terminals 9, winding pieces 15a of the wire clamping portions 15 are wound on the outer circumferences of the wires 13 respectively to increase forces for holding the wires 13 in the press-connecting terminals 9, respectively.
The connector housing 1 has a cover member 19 formed at the opening portion 7 integrally with the connector housing 1 through thin hinge portions 17. As shown in FIG. 9, the cover member 19 is pivotable through the hinge portions 17, and closes the opening portion 7.
The cover member 19 has a plurality of sandwiching plates 21 which are arranged side by side on the closed side surface of the cover member 19 to receive between the wire clamping portions 15. When the cover member 19 closes the opening portion 7, the sandwiching plates 21 come between the wire clamping portions 15 respectively to limit shaking of the wire clamping portions 15 and to sort the wires 13 into an alignment state.
In the aforementioned structure of the press-connecting connector, the shaking of the wire clamping portions 15 is limited by the sandwiching plates 21 as shown in FIG. 10. However, for example, when the wires 13 are made to shake in the directions of the arrow a by external force, the covers of the wires 13 are bitten by rear end edge portions e of the wire clamping portions 15 which are in the fixed state. In the case where the shaking acts on the wires 13 for a long time, there is a risk that the covers of the wires 13 are cleft, the external force is exerted directly to the conductors of the wires 13 to make press-connecting junction unstable, and breaking of the conductors is caused.
Further, in the structure of the cover member 19, the sandwiching plates 21 are arranged on the opposite sides of the respective wire clamping portions 15 only to limit the shaking of the wire clamping portions 15. Accordingly, the structure of the cover member 19 cannot prevent the disengagement with the press-connecting terminals 9 which increases the terminal holding force directly.